Peace Out

Yesterday we did our Sunday peace vigil on the Clinton Village Square www.villageofclinton.com as usual, but it was anything but usual. We (three or four of us from the Mohawk Valley Peace Coalition) stand for an hour and hold up signs that say things like "Honk for Peace" and various versions of end the war. One of my fellow peaceniks, who is about 83 years old, has been doing this just about every Sunday since the war began; that's a lot of Sundays in all kinds of central New York weather. And boy do we get some weather!

Yesterday was different though. A friend was showing his visitors from Holland around the village, and his (the friend's) three children were very interested in what we were doing. They stood with us for awhile and held signs and asked for people to honk and honked themselves. It brought a different kind of energy to the vigil, and it made me wonder if these Dutch kids would think about the experience later on. I wonder what they'll think about these women standing by the side of the village green trying to make a -- what, difference? Trying to make ourselves feel like we're doing something? Well, whatever, we've all gotta do something.

I, like many other crackhead liberals (I can't help it I was raised that way!) am wary and weary and want the election to be now and done and over. And btw I want the right guy to win because the wrong guy will take us all to hell in a handbasket (as the Idahoans say).

Off the soapbox Murphy! Life in other ways is better than it's been for years, even if being middle class in New York means being close to poor in New York in many ways. Even the Rust Belt area where I live is stunningly beautiful in summer, trees and flowers, more trees and more trees.

I'm working on two poems, one a poem of place. That can be pretty tricky (which is code for such poems can suck). But what the hell I've lived in, been to some amazing places that created and/or contributed to some truly lovely people who I'm lucky to have in my life.

I'll close with a question for anybody who takes a look at this blog. Whether I know you or not, what are the things about the place you live that you love? Here are five of mine:
1) ice cream stands that open in the summer and are sometimes mobbed with happy people eating ice cream
2) the smell after rain in central New York -- not as cool as sagebrush in Idaho, but an organic sort of chlorine smell that sounds not-so-cool, but is intoxicating
3) cheap Italian restaurants that are everywhere in the Utica, NY area (www.cityofutica.com), even though the the pizza can be sketchy to a Jersey girl
4) the Village of Clinton's odd mix of Hamilton college "royalty" and people like my neighbors, who are just regular, nice people
5) and this one will be a surprise to Daryl -- living in a place that's small enough to run into students I've taught in places like Target, local restaurants, etc. I'll add working at a school small enough to allow teachers like me to form friendships with former students (you know who you are).

That's just five and I've got plenty more, but I'd like to hear from youse guys. Whatcha got?
Happy Monday to us.